Director(s) – Philip Herman, Barry Gaines, and Ben Stanski
Starring – Barry Gains, Philip Herman, and Ben Stanski
Release Date – 1996
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Phil Herman’s S.O.V. cult classic returns”
The Sleaze Box is a company that I have came to respect. Right up front you know these guys are going to give you some of the raunchiest films to ever come out of the underground scene. I first came across these guys when I found their Facebook page for Amerikan Holokaust. They sent me a copy of the film and it was bat shit insane and is still one of the most fucked up films I have seen to date. Since then I have seen every film TSB has released.
A few weeks ago TSB announced that they would be releasing the S.O.V. anthology from 1996 titledTales Till The End. I love a great deal of S.O.V. horror flicks so I had to check this one out. The Sleaze Box reached out to me and was kind enough to send me a review copy. Thanks guys!
**Spoiler Alert**This film follows three men who go out for a little camping trip when word comes across the radio that an unknown chemical has been released and everyone exposed to it is now dead. They panic and seek refuge in a building. To pass the time they each tell a story.
The first tells a story about the time he found an old knife on the beach and once he picked it up it possessed him forcing him to kill his family and loved ones. The second tells the story about the time he was promised a large sum of money if he directed a movie. He directedBurglar from Hell and when he delivers the finished product the man refuses to pay him. This pisses the guy off and he kills him.
The third person then tells hist story about the time he fell in love with his best friend’s wife. She was a known whore and slept with a lot of people except him. Her husband finds out and ties her to chair to torture her. The main intervenes and rescues her while killing her husband in the act. He thinks she will now throw herself at him but he is wrong. She then runs off with her inheritance.**Spoiler Alert**
Most S.O.V. are known for being sleazy flicks full of gore with horrible acting and cheap stories. Tales Till the End delivered on all that. However, what makes this one different from the other S.O.V. flicks is the year in which this one was released. The golden age of S.O.V. was the late 80s so having one released in 1996 was a rare treat.
The acting in this one is far from perfect. The cast in this one tries their hardest but the experience is just not there. The stories for this one are all ones we have seen before in many, many other films. The wrap around story is one we have seen so many times before, but it had never been a wrap around story before which was actually a great way to tie them all together. The first story featuring the knife is the worst of the film.
The story is weak and the hardest to watch. The second story featuring Phil Herman and his segment tying the film to Burglar From Hell is my favorite of the film and the turning point for the flick. The last story following the cheating wife was another story we have seen before but it was fucking fantastic in S.O.V. fashion.
Finally, the film does have a few on screen kills but they were cheap and lacked the gore most would come to expect from S.O.V. horror flicks. This was a huge let down. Overall, Tales Till the End is another solid release from Sleaze Box. The film tells some fun stories and is a fine addition to any collector’s S.O.V. collection. Check it out!
